Hostage
by katielgk
Summary: "The Invasion" reimagined. What if Leo was taken captive by the Foot instead of being thrown back to his brothers? Tiger Claw has the task of watching over the turtle. Inspired by RingingT's comic on deviantart, and a personal experiment on getting into Tiger Claw's head.


*sigh* The very short intro. The regular chapters should be longer than this, promise. The story itself won't go on forever. I wanted an excuse to dig into Tiger Claw's personality some and was inspired by a short and wonderfully drawn comic by RingingT on deviantart. With their blessing I expanded the idea into this fic with the same title. I urge you to look up the artist!

She re-imagined The Invasion where, instead of Leo being thrown back to his brothers, his T-cell had been broken, and Shredder chose to keep him as a hostage. Tiger Claw was put in charge of taking care of him. This story is my interpretation of that.

Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT or any character used in this story.

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><p>The stench of the sewers was potent on his senses, but only served to fuel his anger towards his opponent. It was the kind of home Hamato Yoshi deserved, and it would make a fine grave for him.<p>

"Now I will tear you to pieces!"

"Sensei!"

He spared a glance only to be sure that the three turtles and young girl could not reach them. He would not be distracted by them as Yoshi would.

"Go! Leave this place!" He ordered frantically. Oroku Saki could have laughed. The rat knew his own end was near, and now he would be shamed.

"Fitting that your sons are here to see you fall!" he lifted his leg, his knee knocking Yoshi back.

The children yelled encouragements to their master, and his hate churned within him again. That Yoshi had ones to call to him endearingly, when he had no one was an insult. His blows were being blocked, and a sudden fury and fear that he could still be defeated flared inside him. He pulled out a powder bomb. A still small voice from ages past might have whispered to him something of honor, but it was drowned out. Honor meant nothing anymore; he had nothing, and he would not be robbed of his victory of the one who stole from him his very being.

The yell from the rat made it seem that the powder had done its job, and he dove in for a final blow that did not connect. He saw Yoshi change his stance and knew what was coming. He could not stop it.

Blown backwards, everything went dark for many long moments. His armor had protected him from the worst of the damage, and when he recovered, he realized his enemy had not even had a chance to flee like the coward he was. He darted from the darkness, blinded by rage and the thrill of opportunity that Yoshi's back was turned. His gauntlet sliced at the rat finally, throwing him forward. He cried out in pain, yet still turned his eyes back. Saki swung again, snuffing out the life in them.

"No no no!"

Shredder grabbed the rat by his robe and dragged him forward.

"Don't do it!"

"Master Splinter!"

"NO!"

He listened to their despair, an echo of his own for years.

"YOU! You...MONSTER!"

A mutated freak, calling him a monster. The entire family was responsible for his loss. They took away everything he had ever cared for in the world. Their words did not matter. Hamato Yoshi was gone, and so still was his only love. And the daughter she left behind... They were the monsters.

He gripped his arm in pain. He wouldn't fight the freaks now, but the sight of them, the thought of Karai, reminded him of the turtle he had already taken down tonight. He turned back to them; the one in red was still screaming at him. Hamato Yoshi called them his sons.

"You have a missing brother." He said it simply, and it grabbed their attention. Red fell silent, but his fiery glare did not falter. "If you want him returned to you, you will find Karai, and bring her to me."

If it was possible for them, the three brothers paled, along with their human friend. The one in purple spoke shakily. "You...you have Leo?"

He simply turned away again. With or without them he would find his daughter.

"Tell us where our brother is Shredder!" Orange bellowed.

Their brother may already be dead. He'd ordered Tiger Claw to take Leonardo to the Kraang to keep him from death. A hostage was troublesome, but with the invasion, he decided it may be useful to have the remaining turtles do the work for him. He would have Karai at his side again.

"SHREDDER!"

The hot fury in the red-banded turtle's voice did not shake the metal shell of a man. It was the same as his own, fueled by loss, and hate. "FACE ME!"

He didn't.

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><p>Commentscritiques welcome! The rest of the story will focus mostly on Tiger Claw and Leonardo.


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